The night Celtic won a European semi-final first leg 3-0

Celtic played MTK Budapest on this day in 1964 in the first leg of the European Cup Winners Cup semi-final. A goal from Jimmy Johnstone and a double from Stevie Chalmers gave Celtic a commanding 3-0 lead to take into the second leg.

At the full time whistle the delighted Celtic players and ecstatic supporters must have thought that they were heading to the final.

And there were green and white ribbons round the Cup Winners Cup that year, although sadly not Celtic’s. Celtic managed to throw away the return leg by naively playing open, attacking football in the return leg of the semi-final and managing to lose 4-0!

So it was MTK Budapest who progressed to the final to play Sporting Lisbon in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. That too was quite a match, Celtic’s conquerers took the lead, then went behind before getting in front again before conceding a third in the closing stages. The final ended 3-3 and a reply was played two days later, on 15 May 1964 at the Bosuil Stadium in Antwerp.

The 3-3 game in Brussels – for a European Cup Winners Cup Final – attracted a crowd of just 3,208 and that is a pretty large stadium! The replay in the smaller stadium in Antwerp attracted a bigger crowd, this time 13,924 and the witnessed a Portuguese win, this time with just the one goal needed.

What an occasion it could have been had Celtic simply shut up shop in that second leg. We don’t know if Celtic would have beaten Sporting Lisbon but we do know that there would have been many thousands more in the Heysel Stadium for the Final!

Here’s Celtic in full flow in that 3-0 semi-final win…

The Celtic Wiki’s review says this: Contemporary reports stated that Celtic relied on ‘determination, relentless aggression and pace’ rather than skill against the Hungarians.

After a dull first half Celtic led 1-0 after Johnstone scrambled the ball home after keeper Kovalic fumbled a Clark shot.

In the second half Johnstone and Chalmers went up a gear and Johnstone was the subject of tough tackling from the MTK defenders.In 65 minutes Chalmers scored with a low shot and eleven minutes leader he headed a Murdoch cross in off the far post.

Murdoch, Gallagher and Chalmers all missed further chances and Celtic were indebted to Fallon who made two fine saves near the end.

Celtic were now clear favourites to win through to the final in Brussels in May.

The Celtic Team was Fallon; Young, Gemmell ; Clark, McNeill, Kennedy; Johnstone, Murdoch, Chalmers, Gallacher and Hughes. The goalscorer were Jimmy Johnstone (41) and Stevie Chalmers (65, 76).

The MTK Budapest side was Kovalik; Keszel, Jenei; Nagy, Danszi, Vasas; Torok, Takacs, Bodor, Kuti, Dinyes.

Referee: G Campanatti (Italy) and the attendance at Celtic Park was recorded as 51,000 (cough).

David Potter’s latest Celtic book is a biography Willie Fernie and is out on 6 May 2022, with pre-orders now being purchased from the link below…

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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